Heart of Ice
by wiccankai
Summary: Chylo is an unsupecting rough and tumble girl, who after getting in a fight in school, finds herself at Cherub she proceeds with her basic training and her first misson.
1. chapter 1:School

**Cherub: Heart of ice**

**Chapter one: School**

Heads up: I do not own the idea of cherub, nor many of those characters in it. Only the new characters are my own.

A cold wind whipped around Chylo, harsh and chilling, ripping through the outer layer of her coat, and past her jumper. Past the last line of defence, and into her skin, chilling her to the very bone. Rain fell from the sky, plastering her cropped black hair to her forehead, as she waited for the school bus. The bus of humiliation and doom, on which everyday something terrifying and horrible always happened. So far Chylo had avoided such ridicule. Coming from the rough end of town had its advantages.

Eventually after her coat was near the end of its teether, and had begun to let through the dampness, the sound of the buses loud, spluttering engine came from around the cornor. Abadoning her post against a moss covered wall, worn with time she moved to the edge of the street, and waited, as it ripped around the cornor, coming to a screeching halt a few meters down from her. Sighing she moved down towards it.

Soaking wet, dripping water behide her she climbed up the metal stairs of the bus, carefully as not to slip. Her hand gripped the rail, until she reached the top. Nodding as way as greeting to the driver she took her usual seat at the front of the bus. The safest place, that she had secured through cruelty and selfish acts.

The warmth seeped through her coat, as she sat there, amusing herself with the puddles of dirty water the bus speed through, soaking unlucky passerbys. Through she felt sorry for one of the one children they had passed, it would proberly have made no difference to how wet they could be. During in her musing the bus came to its usual screechy halt outside the grey bricked building that was her school.

Trailing with the rest of them she made her way grumpily into the building and to her form room, upon which she discovered her form were up to their usual tricks. It seemed the impossing nature of Mr. Darley was absence for the day, and thus the substitute would have a terrible time. She almost felt sorry for them. Taking her seat, she relaxed against the plastic of the chair, and shoved her feet in the table. Of course she was going to join in. Everybody needed a bit of time to have fun, and this was hers.

The day past with little events, Kevin egged the heads car, and got dragged away to the office, Catty graffited the girls loos, and Edge got into a fight, but that was the course of a normal day. All that was left was the last lesson of the day. Physical education. Never a good lesson to be in, turning from a soft game into a brutal fight at any time, during any activity.

Chylo's eyes glittered with the anticipation of PE. It was among her favourite lessons, much for its unprediciveness, much like that of her Gemini nature. Her kit lay over her, blue joggers, and a plain t-shirt, damp from the morning rain. Her hair finally having dried out was tied behide her head, for once following the rules. Yet it was more for her own protection, it was normally her that caused the fights in PE.

**Ok sorry to stop here, but they'll be more to come so please keep reading and tell me what you think.**


	2. Chapter 2:Trouble

**Cherub:Heart of Ice**

**Chapter two: Trouble**

Chylo's eyes glittered with the anticipation of PE. It was among her favourite lessons, much for its unprediciveness, much like that of her Gemini nature. Her kit lay over her, blue joggers, and a plain t-shirt, damp from the morning rain. Her hair finally having dried out was tied behide her head, for once following the rules. Yet it was more for her own protection, it was normally her that caused the fights in PE.

Rain pounded down upon the metal roof of the changing room, and through into that of the gym. It beat against the double-glazed windows that wrapped around two sides of the gym, toughened artfully, but carrying evidence of children. Grime and smudged finger prints littered them, where the cleaners had not bothered to clean them, and the floor was wet, from the class that had just returned from outside. The teacher screaming at them to go and get changed, so that he could take his next class. In fact Chylo's class. Grumbling they left Mr. Do-rod to his new victims, throwing angry looks over their shoulders, yet giving the others, a few years below them sympathetic looks. He the teacher was in a terrible mood, and they were going to pay for it.

Moments later, the rest of the class came shivering into the room, rubbing their arms with their hands as through it could warm them up. Dispite the loud chuntering heater, covered in dust it was freezing in the gym, due to the small cracks in the stone work, that had never been filled. They grouped around the teacher, and waited murmuring in annoyance, and fear. Mr. Do-rod could be a cruel teacher when the mood took him, it all depended on whether he could be bothered to make them run in the rain and the wind. It seemed not.

"All right my beauties, today the eliminator. I got it set up just for you"

Many kids groaned, and looked skywards, one of the weaker fainted, but then that child was always fainting, and for no reason what-so-ever. Yet Chylo's eyes glittered, the eliminator wasn't much of an eliminator when it came to people like her, more of a daily work out that would toughen them for later life. In this instance it mean doing a circuit of excerise, followed by grueling rope-climbing, crawling and lastly when every one was to exhausted and tired to even want a game, basket ball was shoved on them, completed with a nice jog in the rain, that was if you were still up. If you weren't then you keep doing the eliminator every PE lesson until he got bored with the procedure. It was torcher of the worst form, espically for chubby like Luke, who already was sweating from just the thought of PE, and more so at that of the elminator.

"Righty-o, up and at them ladies, and gents"

With much heistation the group began to jog on the spot, slowly seperating to fill the space, so that nobody would hit the other, but Chylo had other plans, it looked like it was going to be one of those days. Davie, the natural athelete of the group and decided he wasn't going to play ball. He didn't want to do the eliminator, and he always got his own way. Catching his eye Chylo scowled at him, and hinted that he better get moving, or else she was going to kick his lily white ass. It was no no avail, and soon Mr. Do-rod wouldn't be able to ignore the fact that Davie wasn't participating. Yet it happened to soon.. The whistle sounded through the hall, and instantly everybody stopped.

Mr. Do-rod was looking venomously at Davie, his white shirt taunt over his toned body, and his eyes flashing dangerous. For a moment he just stared at the boy daring him to say something, to refuse to do as he was told, and then he turned upon him, moving with purpose closer and closer, till it seemed as if they were jointed together at the forehead.

"And what may I ask are you doing boy?" he shouted right in the Davies face. True to his nature Davie just shrugged, and asked him to back off, as polietly as anybody can manage with a snarling beast in their faces. When this didn't happen again true to form he turned nasty.

"Get off me fatty" Not the most colourful language around but something that would have more effect than anything on this PE teacher. Something that would infuriate him. Chylo wanted to be part of it, and she knew it. She wasn't going to let Davie have all the fun this lesson. Between the two of them, something always kicked off, through they never worked together. It was more the question of who could cause more trouble than who.

"Hey fatty I thought we were doing PE here" she called, turned to the girl beside her, hissing that she continue with the insults, then she moved around the crowd like an assasin making the others join in. You didn't mess with her, not when you weren't likely to get in trouble with the teacher when you didn't get caught. He was far to lazy to keep them all after school, or even make sure they turned up at a detention. Soon the gym was full of ringing insults and mayhem.

Chylo threw some water at him, hoping to infuriate him all the more, and it worked he went berserk. She'd always wanted to push him over the edge, but she didn't think it would be so easy, or so acheiveable. All in the school hated him, and she was going to get rid of him. Get a better PE teacher, be nicer to them, enjoy PE, without having to try very hard. What a dream.

**Alright guys next time the fight! Hope you enjoyed this, your reviews are appreciated.**


	3. Chapter 3: The fight

**Cherub: Heart of Ice**

**Chapter three: The Fight**

"Hey fatty I thought we were doing PE here" she called, turned to the girl beside her, hissing that she continue with the insults, then she moved around the crowd like an assasin making the others join in. You didn't mess with her, not when you weren't likely to get in trouble with the teacher when you didn't get caught. He was far to lazy to keep them all after school, or even make sure they turned up at a detention. Soon the gym was full of ringing insults and mayhem.

Chylo threw some water at him, hoping to infuriate him all the more, and it worked he went berserk. She'd always wanted to push him over the edge, but she didn't think it would be so easy, or so acheiveable. All in the school hated him, and she was going to get rid of him. Get a better PE teacher, be nicer to them, enjoy PE, without having to try very hard. What a dream.

Mr.Do-rod, snarled in fury, his wicked little eyes sweeping the room. The effect was startling, as silence stole across the room, instantly. Chylo had taken it to far, but Davie was not to be out done. Perhaps he didn't realise the danger that was going on, or perhaps he didn't care. Not much was known about Davie, except that he had turned up three weeks ago, and gradually his behaviour had become irratic and crueler, playing for attention. Before words could come out of the PE teachers mouth, he was up and at them, stalking towards the group smirking that annoying smirk of his. The effect was amazing, transforming his naturally charming face into one of a dangerous player.

"Hey piggy, not afraid of a little water are you?" It was a sly jib, and not very imaginative. Chylo imagined that if Davie's tone hadn't been of the utmost calm and calculation it would have had little effect over her own actions, but unfortunatly it did, and once more she was out of the game. It had turned into something more than a little fun now, she could lose her entire reputation if she didn't turn things up. Her mind worked in a whirl, trying to come up with the perfect rouse, but she didn't have to. Mr. Do-rod let lose a ripping shout, and launched himself at Chylo, as through it was her fault that Davie was being such a menace. Chylo wasn't having it, she'd rather defend him now than have the beast lash out at her, his leaping form, and the many witnesses would be more than enough to get him banished from teaching for the rest of his life.

She ducked beneath his flayling arms, and crawled through his legs. Her eyes widened as a hand stretched out to help her up. Davie's hand. She grasped it more from surprise than the need, stumbling to her feet, and turning to face the PE teacher who once more was staring at her, and rearing his ugly head, as through she was red, and he a bull. A small gasp escaped her lips, and she backed away holding up her hands and shaking her head. Defence came from an unexpected quarters. Davie stood in front of her as through a protective brother or best friend might, and his eyes were ice. He too had the image of a bull in his head, and there was only one way to deal with a bull. He kicked out hard, at the on coming figure. It was enough to placate him, amongsts cheers that rang around the gym.

"Come with me" Davie whispered to Chylo, gripping her shaking form and escorting her out of the gym. She was aware that they were walking out of the school grounds, and vaguely that it was against school rules, but she didn't care. She had no idea what was happening, as he lay her down on the bench and whispered soft words in her ear. The last thing she remembered was laying on that bench with Davie comforting her before she fell into a deep, blackness that she welcomed.

_Ok so the title is a little deceptive, but honestly its been so long I forget what I was going to do. It certainly isn't the best piece I've ever written but its not completely terrible. More next time, with chapter four: Awaking in Cherub._


	4. Chapter 4: Awakening

**Chapter four: Awaking in Cherub**

"Come with me" Davie whispered to Chylo, gripping her shaking form and escorting her out of the gym. She was aware that they were walking out of the school grounds, and vaguely that it was against school rules, but she didn't care. She had no idea what was happening, as he lay her down on the bench and whispered soft words in her ear. The last thing she remembered ws laying on that bench, with Davie comforting her before, she fell into a deep, blackness that she welcomed

The room was flashy!

Chylo looked around her, neck to the side, admiring the vision before her, the duvet warm against her body. TV, telephone, lush carpet. The scene was overwhelming, but something nagged at Chylo. How had she gotten here? All she could remember was laying on a bench with davie, after that it was a balnk. As the thoughts clouded her mind another rammed in, scattering the others. _I'm not wearing any clothes_.

Freakied out chylo sat bolt upright, so fast her head was spinning. A cool breexre caught her up, calming her. Almost unconsciously she padded over to the window, treading on an orange shirt in the process. The room was high up, overlooking an athletics track. Kids in running spides stood around doing stretches, or running the track. Chylo could only guess that she was in some kind of children's home.

She needed to get dressed. Her mind flickered to the orange thing she'd already troden on. Backtracking she picked it up. It was new, and more military-style kit accompanied it. She studied the logo embroided on the T-shirt, more entranced by the inituals CHERUB than the winged baby on the world. It bothered her that the initals made no sense. She knew all of the childrens homes by name, having been to quiet a few and CHERUB wasn't one of them.

In the corridor the kids had the same green trousers and black boots as Chylo, but none of their shirts were orange. In fact grey seemed to be the most common colour. She opened her mouth to speak.

"Can't talk to orange." She frowned, before noticing the kind pointing towards a lift, and was also pointing in a downwards gester. Nodding chylo almost ran towards the lift, set only on getting to the destination with as few _can't talk to orange _as she possible could. In the lift Chylo felt lucky to have an adult point at her than press in the button for the first floor. He hadn't even spoken a word.

The first floor was a reception area. She could see out the main entrace into plush gardens where a fountain sprouted water, meters into the air. The sculpture in the centre was a winged baby perched upon a globe. Chylo noticed an elderly lady behind a dest, but before she could open her mouth she was interrupted.

"Good morning Chyl. Doctor McAfferty would like to see you in his office.

**Yes I know its another short one, but next time it'll be longer. Promise.**


	5. Chapter 5:Tests can hurt

**Cherub: A heart of Ice**

**Chapter fice: Tests can hurt.**

"Enter," a soft scottish accent said from inside.

Without heisitation Chylo stepped into the office. Full height windows filled the room, while a crackling fire burnt in the grate. Leather-bound books lined the walls lending a schloraly feel, but the man behind the desk turned that effect into a long-standing joke. Doctor McAfferty might be well read but he did not have the appearance of a pen-pusher. He rose from behind his desk and gently shook Chylo's hand, through Chylo firmly believed he could crush her smaller hand without even thinking about it.

"Welcome to CHERUB campus, James. I'm Doctor Terrence McAfferty, the chairman. Everybody calls me Mac. Why don't you take a seat?" he gestered to a pair of armchairs resting infront of the fireplace. Chylo settled intot he leather chair, the throw over it not quiet covering its frame. Caustious as always Chylo waited for Mac to talk first unsure of the circumstances about her arrival. Almost as through reading her thoughts he filled in the gaps for her.

"I suppose you wonder how you got here?" Chylo nodded. "The person who brought you here popped a needle into your arm, to help you sleep. It was quiet mild. No ill effects, I hope?"

"I feel fine." She shrugged. "was there any particular reason you put me to sleep? Except to bring me to a place _I've_ never heard of." She stressed the fact, challenging the point that sh eknew about _everywhere_.

"Let me get to the heart of the matter. I'll explain about CHERUB and perhaps answer that question for you." As through anticipating Chylo would not welcome a question about her first impressions he let the matter slide. "Here at CHERUB we have over two hundred and eighty pupils. Four swimming pools, six indoor tennis courts, a gymnasium, dojo, but to name a few. We also have an on campus school." He grinned. "Classes have ten pupils or fewer. Everyone learns at least two foreign languages. We have a higher proportion of students going on to top universities than any of the leading public schools. How would you feel about living here?"

"It sounds amazing but I'm not a very good pupil, and thers got to be a catch. The question still lingers, why me?"

"Ah, tell me than Chylo are you a bad pupil because your not bright, or because you get board? Or is it because the school isn't up to your standards. I understand that at your private school you were, ah, top of your year"

"No its because the tachers are always too busy with everyone else to bother teaching adequetly," Almost shyle she said. "I study at home most of the time, I get in trouble a lot."

"Chylo, we have a couple of criteria for new residents here that I think will suit you. The first not so interesting aspect is passing our entrance exam. The second," he allowed himself a smile "more unusual requirement, is that you agree to be an agent for British intelligence, of which CHERUB is a part."

"So you use children as spies. Clever, criminals use that a lot, I supose CHERUB turns the table on that. However you haven't answered my question. Why me?"

"Because you're intelligent, physically fit and you have an appetite for trouble. We need kids who have a thirst for a bit of excitement. We need kids who have a thirst for a bit of excitement."

"OK, I would supose its dangerous but within limits. Has anyone ever died?" She said this casually as through it was something she asked daily.

"In over fifty years, four youngsters have been killed, and a few others badly injured. I've been chairman for over ten years. Luckily all we've had in that time is one bad case of Malaria, and two people getting shot in the leg. We never send you on a mission that could be done by an adult. All missons go to an ethics committee for approval. Everything is explained to you, and you have an absolute right to refuse to do a misson at any point."

"OK just from curiosity does CHERUB stand for."

"Intersting one, that. Our first chairman made up the intitials. He had a batch of stationary printed. Unfortunatly he had a stormy relationship with his wife. She shot him before he told anyone what the initials meant. It was wartime, and you couldn't waste six thousand sheets of headed notepaper, so CHERUB stuck. IF you ever think of anything the initials might stand for, please tell me, it gets quiet embarrassing sometimes." Chylo asked who founded it, and then made some deductions. "And you're trying to convince me you wouldn't make a good spy. Are you up for it.?" Chylo nodded.

Mac drove Chylo across CHERUb campus in a golf buggy. They stopped outside a traditional Japanese. Style building with a single span roof made of giant sequoia logs. The surrounding area had a pond stuffed with orange fish and a gravel garden. Chylo and Mac stepped inside. Thirty kids wearing a white uniform that resembled pyjamas tied with brown or black belts were sparring. A stern Japanese lady paced among them in a critics way screaming in a mixture of English and Japanese. Mac didn't stop. He led Chylo to a small room where springy blue matting covered the floor. Inside was a kid, the same height perhaps taller than herself. Instinctivly Chylo slipped over her shoes and took off her socks.

The two bowed, acknowledging the rules. Bruce was too good for Chylo, who had previously finished a short course of Martial-arts for free. Before the end she hurt in five different places, but she was satisfied that she had at least hit the boy once. Her street style had thrown him off for the second bought, but it hadn't lasted.

Chylo sat in a hall surrounded by wooden desks, all of them empty. Her whole body burned with pain more intense now the adrenaline had faded. Opening the paper Chylo began. The questions got harder as the paper went on, and by the time had run out, she stil had two and a half pages to go.

Chylo was back where she'd started.

"So after the tests should we offer you a place here?" Chylo shrugged. "You did well on the first four tests, but on the fifth I wasn't satisfied. We knew that you were scared of dark enclosed spaces, and going in there proved you were willing to do anything, but before the task had finshed you panicked. That showed poor judgement, however I'm proud to offer you a place here."


	6. Chapter 6: Arrival

**Cherub: Heart of Ice**

**Chapter 6: Arrival**

**Note: CHERUB is owned by Robert Muchamore. (Rob to his fans)**

Chylo didn't need any time to make a decision. There was no way she was going to stay in a crappy home, and pass up the chance to make something of her life. There was no way she was gaining another roommate (the last one had ended up in a jail somewhere), who could potentially ruin her. She was going to CHERUB if it killed her, which she had reasoned it proberly would. Something that appetising couldn't be good for you. Expecting the worst had make the bad seem positively bright in Chylo's world, and it would be a long time before her cynical attitude disappeared; if ever.

The drive back was uneventful, and for the first half of the journey all she could see was the inside of an empty van. During those long hours nerves had over come her excited determination. What if she wasn't good enough to be in CHERUB? As these doubts kicked in her resolution faltered, but she had already given Mac her answer. At first he had insisted she take time to think, finally relenting. Now she wished that she had, but it was to late now. She had one last night to spend at the home, before she was whisked away to the alien surroundings of CHERUB campus.

It was the early hours of the morning when Chylo arrived back at her most recent lodgings. The entrance and the back were both locked; Chylo checked all the first floor windows as well, but with little luck. At long last she was forced to ring the doorbell. She waited for what seemed ages, before giving up, and climbing the tree around the back. She crawled onto the unstable wooden platform, across to her last hope. She knocked on the window and was rewarded with the sounds of movement.

"Where have you been Chylo?" The house parent Joshua waited for an answer. "Well?" He was rewarded with a shrug. "You've been gone for over twenty-four hours. Where?"

At long last Chylo realised that she had to answer. "Robbing banks." She yawned loudly.

"Get to bed Chylo. I don't have time for this at three-thirty in the morning. We'll deal with you tomorrow."

"Whatever." Normally Chylo would have grumbled, but she had a secret. She was leaving tomorrow.

It might have been kinder to let Chylo go to school, but Joshua was the senior member at the home, and he was keen to get to the bottom of Chylo's long disappearance. His logic was faultless. Chylo had disappeared for nearly thirty hours, turned up in the early hours of the morning, and was sporting a swollen lip, and tow black eyes. She was also dead on her feet, and thus in a bad state to attend school

Jenny shook Chylo awake.

"Get up Chylo. Joshua wants to see you in his office."

Chylo sat up and winced. Her body was a mass of bruises, and her head felt heavy. She was nursing a headache as well.

"OK."

"You've got five minutes." The disapproval rang strong in Jenny's tone. She obviously knew the full story.

"Eight." Chylo dragged herself from her bed, ignoring the pounding of her head. She pulled on some clothes, and staggered down the corridor. Her head rested on the door handle, before she shoved the door open and strode in. She had five hours to kill before pick y up. She had nothing to lose by speaking her mind.

Chylo waited outside Meryl Spencer's office, wearing a new CHEUB uniform, with a pale blue trainee T-shirt. Meryl was Chylo's handler at CHERUB, and she looked tough, but right now she was busy shouting at somebody named James. According to the odd work that drifted through, he had been a stupid idiot…again.

It wasn't very long before a boy in a navy shirt stepped out of the room. Blond hair across his head, and a black eye was prominent on his otherwise charming features. James flashed her a grin and nodded to her.

"Meryl's alright really. Names James."

"Chylo."

"Nice meeting you. Got to run."

Chylo shook her head at his retreating form and let herself into Meryl Spencer's office. She took a seat quickly not sure what to expect.

"Where did you get this?" Meryl held up a wad of money.

"Saved it."

"You saved up to three thousand? I don't think so Chylo. Try again."

Knowing she was defeated she had the grave to look embarrassed as she supplemented. "I stole it. Should have realised you'd know. Sorry about that." She smiled uneasily, wondering if this was yet another test.

"Chylo do you see that track outside my window? Next time you lie to me, I'll have you running laps till you're dizzy. I prefer it if you'd play it straight with me." She winked. "James still hasn't learnt." Chylo thought she could just make out James running the track.

"He said he had to run."

"Yes. Now onto business what you're new name going to be?"

"My new name? Oh right." Chylo caught on quickly. "Chylo Kathrin Brooks." She smiled to herself. She'd chosen Brooks after an author. Not original but she like it. She thought it sounded much better than Chylo Cheesewright. Much better.

"Brilliant. I'll get David to show you to your room. Training starts in one month."


End file.
